Collapsible enclosure



Oct. 22. 1940.

A; (5. PETERSON COLLAPSIBLE ENCLOSURE Filed Sept. 15, 1959 v INVENTOR- A9922! 5. 19922219021 ATTO R N EY Patented Oct. 22, 1940 -v PATENT OFFICE 2,219,272 OOLLAPSIBLE ENCLOSURE Alfred G. Peterson, Milton, Mass, assignor to The Kroger Grocery & Baking Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio -Application September 15, 1929, Serial No. 295,139

3 Claims.

invention relates to portable and collapsible partitions to be erected on the inside of stores and analogous locations to form an enclosure arounda door or delivery opening so that goods may be delivered outside of the usual business hours without permitting'the delivery crew to gain access to the remainder of the store or the store proper. Such partitions are found in the patent to C. O. Sherrill No. 1,924,963 and my prior Patent No. 2,105,095, and the present invention may be considered an improvement over such structures.

The portable partitions or enclosures of the Sherrill type and also of the type disclosed in my prior patent provide an effective barrier against admission or entrance to the store proper with the exception of the top of the enclosure, which is normally open; and it sometimes becomes desirable to make the enclosure complete, that is closed off at the top as Well as at the sides of the same. While from a cursory consideration of such problem it appears relatively simple, yet in actual practice to provide a top for enclosures of the collapsible or knock-down type becomes more or less involved; and the present invention has for its primary object to provide a collapsible and portable enclosure having a top flap or panel which may be easily manipulated to completely close off or open the enclosure when desired and which does not interfere with setting up and taking down of the supporting framework.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fully enclosed partition of the type specified which is ventilated and which at the same time is well braced against unauthorized access to the store proper.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a view in perspective of a portable and collapsible partition embodying the features of the present invention shown installed on the inside of a store door;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the top of the enclosure with the top flap or panel partly open.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a portion of the wall of a store is indicated at Ill and has a door opening with doors I I mounted therein. The partition proper preferably has walls of fabric such as heavy duck or canvas, the side walls being indicated at l2 and 12a and the end wall being indicated at I212. The supporting framework is of the knockdown type substantially similar to that shown in my prior Patent No. 2,105,095. Briefly, such structure comprises front posts I3 and [4 which at their upper ends are projected through brackets l5 and at their lower ends are socketed in countersunk floor plates 16. Each of the front posts l3 and I4 may be locked in position through the medium of a yoke or clamp 11 which is secured to the post and has its open ends provided with an orifice to permit application of a padlock 18 which projects through said orifice and also through an eye I9 anchored to the adjacent door casing, or the wall bounding the door. The center portion of the partition may be reinforced by posts 20 which are connected at their tops by a cross piece 2!; said posts at their lower ends being anchored in floor plates 22 and at their upper ends being hollow to receive curved end portions of guy rods 23, the latter at-their lower ends being turned at an angle and inserted through yokes 24 secured in floor plates 25. The rear end of the enclosure is supported by posts 26 whichat their upper ends are connected in a manner similar to the posts 20 to guy rods 2'! and 21a and at their lower ends are anchored in floor plates 28. Chains or analogous members 29 extend along the top and bottom edges of the fabric side walls and are anchored to the posts I3, 14, 20, and 26 to prevent bending down or lifting of said edges.

The foregoing structure may be found in my prior Patent 2,105,095 and forms no part of the present invention except insofar as it coacts therewith to provide an operative collapsible partition. The present invention is concerned primarily with the provision of a top panel which is associated with the knockdown frame structure in a manner such as to be readily opened and closed whenever desired and which does not interfere with the knockdown and setting up operations. Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, a top flap or panel 38 is provided and is shown formed integral with the side wall [2 of the enclosure. Instead of forming this top panel or flap integral with the wall l2, the latter may be sewed thereon or otherwise suitably attached thereto or it may be formed as a complete removable panel. The end wall I21) and the side wall lia are provided with an edge flap 3|, 31a, and the edge of this flap and the coacting edge of the top panel or flap are provided with fastening elements, preferably of the slide fastening or zipper type 32 adapted to be opened and closed by a slide element 33, the tab 33a of which has connected thereto a chain 34 or analogous flexible member which when the flap is closed may be connected to the padlock l8 as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 1 shows the flap in closed position with the chain connected to the padlock I8, while Fig. 4 illustrates the panel or topflap partially open. It may be desired to open the top flap or panel to facilitate knocking down of the enclosure or erection of the same, to permit access to the partition from the inside of the store, or for other reasons, and it will be seen that this arrangement provides a complete enclosure which may be readily opened whenever desired.

To prevent unauthorized access to the store at the front of the enclosure across the top of the latter, the panel at this point is provided with a hem in which a rod 35 is inserted. When the fiap 30 is in closed position, this rod extends across the top of the door opening.

To permit ventilation of the enclosure when the top is closed, the side walls l2 and I2a and end walls I21) are provided with openings 3! having heavy netting 31a extending thereacross. Also, the top panel 30 may be provided with a similar opening if desired.

In operation, the enclosure is assembled as illustrated in Fig. l. A delivery man or other party who may have keys to the outside doors 9 l delivers goods within the enclosure but cannot gain access to the interior of the store surrounding the enclosure without in some way destroying some portion of the enclosure structure, in which event the responsibility could be 'easily traced. When the operator or manager or other party opens the store in the morning, he may desire to remove the enclosure, in which event he unlocks the padlocks I8, simultaneously releasing the front post l4 and the chain 34. The top flap or panel 30 may then be opened, after which the uprights or rods I4, 20 and 26 removed together with cross piece 3|, and the enclosure then collapsed or rolled up and placed in any suitable out-of-the-way place. Ordinarily the front over- V the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I What is claimed is:

1. A portable and demountable partition structure adapted to enclose an inside portion of a .room adjacent an outside entrance; comprising opposed side walls and an end wall, demountable supporting framework for said Walls, means for detachably anchoring said framework to the floor and to the wall of the room adjacent said entrance, the upper edge of one of said side walls and the upper edge of "said end wall being provided with marginal extensions of flexible material, a top panel of flexible material secured adjacent the upper edge of the other of said side walls and adapted to cover the top area of said structure, fastening means including a slide member and coacting closure members secured to the meeting edges of said top panel and said marginal extensions, whereby said top panel may be slidably connected to and disconnected from said marginal edges to wholly or partially cover or uncover said top area, and means for preventing the unauthorized release of said slide member when said top panel is in its closed position.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said slide member is provided with a flexible extension adapted to be lockably engaged with said framework adjacent said entrance.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the edge of said top panel adjacent said entrance is provided with rigid marginal reenforcing means adapted to facilitate the opening and closing of said top panel and to prevent unauthorized access to the interior of said structure adjacent the top of said entrance.

ALFRED G. PETERSON. 

